XMen: Base 14
by Firedance28
Summary: sequal to "Thorns". someone is continuing Stryker's research and the X-Men have to stop them. Gambit/OC, Logan/Storm, lemon, violence. do not read if you haven't read "Thorns". better summary inside.
1. Prlogue: Base 14

_**X-Men: Base 14**_

Rated M for lemon(s) and violence.

Sequel to Thorns, after Caitlyn's 20th birthday. After Alcatraz, the X-Men learn of a base like Alkali Lake. Base 14 has been created and is trying to complete Stryker's research. The X-men have to destroy it before they face a weapon designed to destroy anything with the X-gene. Main pairings Gambit/OC, Logan/ Storm. Story (not prologue) starts three weeks after the battle at Alcatraz.

**Prologue**

"_**Form two single file lines. Men to the left, women right. Do not speak; do not step out of line. Failure to follow instructions will result in discipline. Resistance is wasted**_."

He gritted his teeth. The guards had told them the cuffs they were wearing neutralized their powers. But it didn't matter anyway, they had taken his lighter, there was nothing he could do.

Guards stood at intervals along the hall, pushing their captives down the brightly lit passages. "Report to the showers."

He was pushed along with the rest of them into a large white room. More guards ordered them to strip and pile their clothes along one wall. They were forced back into lines and sorted into enclosed stalls- no more than four feet square.

The door slammed shut behind him and he pounded on it, claustrophobia sweeping over him in a tidal wave. Freezing water struck him in a super powered blast. He dropped to the floor and curled into a ball.

The door swung open and a pair of rough hands dragged him out. Rough, white fabric was thrust into his hands. He fought his way through the crowd, pulling the thin clothes over his freezing skin.

From there, they were ushered down another hall to a room that smelled like bleach and blood. Someone grabbed his arm and he automatically gestured as if to throw flame at his assailant. Nothing happened.

"No use, freak. You belong to us now."

That day, John Alderdyce learned exactly how terrified he was of needles.

**A/N**: basically, John got picked up after Alcatraz and brought to Base 14 (kind of a science joke: base and alkali mean the same thing and the pH scale goes up to 14 with 14 being the most alkali… yeah, it's bad). You'll find out who's running the hell hole soon enough.


	2. Chapter 1: Calm

_**Chapter 1: calm**_

"Alright, I want your setting maps by Tuesday. We'll be starting on character development."

The students gathered their books and rushed out of the classroom, chattering animatedly. I sighed and dropped into a chair.

"Got a moment ta spare fo' Remy, teach?"

I kissed him. "Of course."

Remy grinned at me. "So chere, how ya likin' yo new job. Watcha teaching da little kids ta'day?"

"We did work on settings. Maps and all that."

With the professor still in a coma from the accent with Cerebro, Scott had taken on most of his duties, leaving me to take control of his English class. I loved it.

Remy's hands wandered to my butt. He kissed me again, backing me into my desk.

"Remy. Place of learning." I placed a finger over his mouth, "Besides, the idea of having sex on _Scott's desk_ is just a bit creepy."

"Dieu… I fo'got."

"It's alright. We could always go somewhere that isn't a classroom…" I hinted.

"Or dat stick-in-da-mud's desk."

I shuddered and pulled him out of the classroom and up the stairs.

~OoOoO~

"You must have another mutation." I gasped pushing my hair out of my eyes.

"Aw, sweetheart, I jus' like ta think o' it as part o' ma natural charm, ya know?" he teased.

I threw a pillow at him half heartedly. "It would still be natural if it were a mutation."

He shrugged and pulled me against his side. "I jus' have the one. Ya know, dat gives me an idea…"

"No!" I sat up. "That's… what? How? I'm confused."

He opened his mouth and I clapped my hand over it. "Do not answer that."

He poked my palm with his tongue and I jerked back, squeaking. Then I leaned down and kissed him.

"Already?"

"Nope. It's late. I want sleep."

~OoOoO~

"What the hell was that?"

I aimed another punch at Logan and he side stepped easily. I tried again and failed.

"Palm up when you start. Turn your hand as you punch."

I followed his instructions and this time my hit landed right below his diaphragm. I hissed and rubbed my knuckles.

"Did you have adamantium in your stomach or something?"

"Nope." He curled his own hands into fists. "I'm going to try and hit you, don't let me."

He took a swing at me and I sidestepped. Somehow, my feet got tangled up and I landed on my hands and knees.

"Sorry, I'm just… everything from my belly button down is killing me."

Logan turned white and then very red. "I really can't know that… alright, we're done. Get some Advil or somethin'."

I smiled gratefully and left the Danger Room.


	3. Chapter 2: An Arrival

_**Chapter 2: an Arrival**_

The chime of the bell stopped me half way up the stairs.

"Who's going to get that?" I yelled.

Alex pelted down the hall. "I will." He opened the door and froze, mouth hanging open.

"Emma."

"Caitlyn. Good to see you."

I walked back down the stairs, carefully keeping my mind blank. "Who called you?"

"No one called me. I…" she made a face, "I need help."

"Thought I'd never see the day. Fine, you'd better come in. But if Scott tries to fry me, I'm hiding behind you. Alex, close your mouth."

I waved Emma inside and lead her down the hall to the study smaller study Scott had claimed.

"And how is everyone?" she asked.

"Scott? His usual stick-in-the-mud self." I answered, and then added silently, "_You really did care, didn't you._"

Emma showed no reaction, instead raising an eyebrow meaningfully. "Would you like to tell me why you're limping?"

"I am not!" Blood rushed to my face.

"Who's the guy? Not Logan…"

"Goddess no!" I squawked, "You don't know him."

We stopped outside the door and I knocked three times. I heard the chair scrape back and Scott pulled the door open.

"Emma… uh…" he noticed me with some relief. "Caitlyn, would you mind explaining?"

"I know about as much as you do."

Scott adjusted his glasses and stepped into the hall, closing the door behind us. "How important is this?"

"Very."

"I'll get the others, then." Scott said, disappearing down the hall.

Emma sat down in a soft chair and propped her head on one hand. Now that I looked closely, I could see dark circles through her makeup and her eyes were glassy.

"Are you alright?"

She shrugged. "I'll explain everything later."

We waited in silence for five minutes before Scott came back into sight. "Everyone's waiting in the library."

I followed him in to the large room and sat down next to Remy at a circular table tucked into one of the reading rooms. When Emma entered the room, he immediately lurched to his feet.

"Ya-"

"Gambit."

I looked from one of them to the other. "You two… know each other?"

"Ai met her at Alkali Lake. Didn't know who she was or anythin'. Jus' someone ta talk ta. When Ai got out, she was… in testin' an' Ai couldn't get her out too."

"That's actually why I'm here. After Alcatraz, Pyro and a few of the others disappeared. We- Janos and I- thought that they had just run away. But last week," she paused for a moment. "Last week we were attacked and Janos was taken. I managed to get a bit out of the guards' heads."

"Why should we help?"

"Logan!" Storm snapped.

"At least let me finish. I found out that they came from a place called 'Base 14' run by Rebecca Stryker."

Everyone went perfectly still.

"She wants to finish her uncle's work. She's kidnapping mutants so she can make something that will attack anything with the X-gene."

"We'll help you. Tell us everything you know." Scott ordered.

"That's it. I know where the guards came from, who's in charge, and what she's trying to do. That's it. They were unconscious going to and from the base, so I can't tell where it is."

"Well dis is jus' great." Remy snapped. He pushed past Emma and out of the room.

"Is that it, Emma?" she nodded, "then I'm leaving."

Remy was leaning against the ash tree, playing with his well-worn deck of playing cards.

"Do you want to talk?"

"'Bout what?"

I slipped my arms around his shoulders. "You were at Alkali Lake, I remember the tags. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

His breath whooshed out of him and he sat down. I sat with him.

"Dey kept us in cages, mine was made o' real thick wood so's Ai couldn't do anythin' with it." he started shakily, "All de guards were very careful naut ta give me anythin' Ai could use. Every day, Ai gaut set ta de lab an… dey's run dese tests. All day. An…" he swallowed, "Da guards, dey, some o' dem… Non-"

I rested my hand on his cheek, "Remy…"

"Dey _liked_ hurtin' us. Sometimes, dey just start beatin' on someone fo' no reason. Some o' dem were 'bout as decent as dey could get, played cards with dem. Used the coins Ai gaut ta get out."

"Goddess… I'm sorry."

"Ai'm fine now."

"For a card player, you are horrible at lying." I muttered.

Remy kissed my forehead. "Really, chere, Ai'm fine. What cette femme said brought back some memories."

"Alright… but really, if you need anything?" I kissed him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Anythin'?"

"You nymphomaniac!" I shrieked.

He laughed.

I settled down next to him and let my head rest on his shoulder. He slipped an arm around my waist.

"Do ya want ta tell me why an' Jean looked madder den hell every time ol' Scott looked at Emma?"

My mouth twisted into a grin. "Scott and Emma… well." I coughed meaningfully, "Jean got him back, but she still doesn't like her."

"Scott and _Emma_?"

I nodded.

Remy glanced down at me. "Ai really need ta give him some credit."

I poked him. "I don't want his ego better any more inflated. Soon, his head will be so full of hot air we could use him for a blimp."

"C'est vrai. Want ta get away from de school fo' a while?"

"Like… a date?"

**A/N:** I know a lot of people hate Emma Frost, but she's really fun to write and I either had to deal with her or Riptide and I just don't know enough about his character.


	4. Chapter 3: Dangers of a Paddle Boat

**_Chapter 3: Dangers of a Paddle Boat_**

For old time's sake, I wore the dress from when I had found Remy in New Orleans. It was cranberry red and silky, stopping four inches above my knees. It was also sleeveless, perfect for the hot, summer weather. At the last minute, I grabbed a charcoal grey jacket in case it got cooler.

When Remy saw me, he dropped his head into his hands and laughed. "Dieu, dat brings up some interestin' mem'ries."

"Why do you think I picked it?" I retorted, looping one arm through his.

We left the school. "Ya aren't wearing dat stuff are ya?"

I shook my head and climbed into the passenger seat of the car. "I threw that out about a week after New Orleans. It doesn't keep."

It was only when we passed the little restaurant that I began to wonder about our destination.

"Remy?"

"C'est une seprise."

I sighed and relaxed into the soft seat. I knew that look. It meant that there was no chance of me getting any more information. At all.

He parked the car at the border of West Park and got out. "Well, what do ya think?"

I kissed him. "You're wonderful, you know that, right? Although, if I had known we were coming here, I would have dressed differently."

"Ya look très belle." he took my hand, "Ya kno' dey have boat rides here?"

I started half running down the path. Remy followed me, laughing. We paid at the dock and climbed onto one of the brightly colored paddle boats. The pedals hit me in the shins a few times before I figured out how the thing worked.

After a while were stopped paddling and just drifted on the lake. I looked around at the park. It wasn't anything truly spectacular, just some gravel paths, a few young trees, and people sitting on metal benches, but it was pretty and quiet.

Eventually, we got tired and turned the boat back toward the dock. As we were getting off, I caught part of a conversation.

"…had any sense they'd have given Stryker a medal instead of shutting him down. Really, he had some inspired ideas."

Remy tensed.

"I know! Bunch of Satan-spawned freaks. Really, just look at them. Red eyes, blue skin, fur, scales… it's not right."

I grabbed Remy's arm. "Think, what do you g-"

He brushed me off and stormed over to the two humans. "Désolé, mais, Ai heard ya talkin' 'bout mutants an' Ai thought Ai should give ya a present from some o' dem ol' Stryker favor'd."

He pulled a card.

Cursing, I started toward him but he was faster. The card flared bright magenta before exploding. Both humans were thrown backwards. One of them hit a bench with a sickening _crunch_.

"Remy!"

The other got back up and pulled a knife. I stared at him, dumbfounded. Who brought a knife to a park?

The knife turned pink. But instead of exploding, it jerked free of the man's grip and turned on him.

"Remy, _enough_."

He hesitated, then walked away, letting the knife fall.

"Hey, freak! I'm not done with you!"

We both turned in time to see the man with the knife sprinting toward us. I concentrated. Roots exploded out of the ground, rapping tight around his legs and sending the man to the ground.

He threw the knife. I don't know if it was dumb luck or if he had some kind of training, but the knife sailed toward me. I jumped out of the way. So instead of hitting me, the knife stuck Remy in the abdomen and stayed there.

No one moved.

Remy had pulled the knife out and had his hand pressed firmly over his stomach through his coat. "It ain't too bad. Just a scratch."

I pulled his hand away and forced him to sit down on one of the benches. His coat landed on the ground. blood saturated the fabric of his shirt. I pulled it out of the way.

"That... is not a scratch."

I went for a pocket before realizing that I didn't have any. "Shit, _does anyone have a phone?_"

No one answered.

"He's bleeding badly. I-"

"I have a phone, want me to call an ambulance?"

I smiled gratefully and took the cell phone. "No, I have some friends who would be better."

"I'll try to stop the bleeding."

It took me three tries before I punched in the number correctly. The phone only rang twice before it was picked up.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Zis is Kurt."

"Kurt, thank the Goddess. Remy's hurt. We're at West Park get down here fast."

"I vill be right zere." The phone buzzed. Kurt hadn't even hung up.

We didn't have long to wait before Kurt appeared in a puff of smoke. Grabbing onto me with one hand, he wrapped the other arm around Remy's shoulders and we disappeared. When we reappeared we were on a roof. From there, we teleported from rooftop to rooftop until we reached the school.

"Jean, ve need your help. Ve need a doctor. Jetzt*."

Shoes hammered the floor. Kitty, Jean, Scott, Emma, and Logan entered the entry hall and stopped dead.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"Some Neanderthal knifed him."

Jean went into doctor mode. "Kurt, get him down to the infirmary. Now. I'll be right there."

They both left, Kurt still supporting Remy. I started pacing back and forth, biting my nails. It was a habit I thought I had broken a long time ago.

"Hey, kid. Sit down."

"I'm not a 'kid'." I snapped.

Ororo set one hand on my arm and guided me into a seat. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"I want to know how badly Remy's hurt. That knife was heading toward me. And then I moved and it hit Remy."

"Caitlyn, it's not your fault. Blame it on the guy who threw the knife." Logan said firmly.

"I know, but…" I exhaled through my nose. "I wish there was something I could do."

"You can go down and wait outside the infirmary. But that might be worse." Ororo suggested.

I got up and ran down the stairs before she could say any more. I nearly collided with Jean.

"What are you doing? How is he?"

"The knife didn't hit anything important, there's no internal bleeding. I have him sedated and I am going to get some thread from Hank that your boyfriend won't accidentally blow up."

I took a deep breath to keep from snapping at Jean. "Thanks. Mind if I wait out here?"

"No problem. You can wait with Kurt."

I joined the blue mutant. He was sitting on a metal bench holding a string of rosary beads with his head bowed.

"Herr, auf ihn schauen mit den Augen der Barmherzigkeir, können lhre heilende Hand ruhen auf ihm, kann lhr belebende Kräfte fließen in jede Zelle seines Körpers und Kraft für den Dienst in lhr Königreich. Amen*."

Hearing him praying for Remy made my stomach twist into convoluted sailor's knots.

"Jean told me he's going to be fine."

Kurt looked up. "I know. But it never hurts. Besides, if I don't, I vill start pacing. Prayer is calming."

I sat next to him and closed my eyes.

Without realizing it, I started my own prayer. "Oh Great Goddess, Mother of Mercy and Healing, send Your healing wisdom to this body, to restore its sacred balance, Thank you Great Goddess, Mother of All Life."

~OoOoO~

Jean came out of the infirmary, drying her hands on a cloth. "I finished. You can see him now, but he's still asleep."

I pushed the metal doors open and walked inside.

Remy was lying on a hospital bed. He wasn't wearing a shirt, allowing me a clear view of the bandage tapped to his side. I brushed his hair out of his eyes. Seeing him sedated and bandaged was worse than seeing the blood on his clothes.

I pulled up a chair and took his hand.

"He's not going to wake up for another couple of hours." Jean called.

"Got it." I didn't move. I wasn't planning to.

It didn't actually work out that way. Ororo came down about half an hour later to tell me that dinner was ready. When I didn't go upstairs, Logan came down and threatened to drag me. I told him to go ahead and try, which he somehow managed to do without hurting me.

After dinner I went back down to the infirmary to wait. At about nine, Remy's eyes flickered open.

"Chere?"

I smiled. "Yup."

"Where de hell am Ai?"

"Infirmary. Jean patched you up. You're going to be fine. She said to give it about a month before you did any strenuous activity."

"Shoot."

I laughed.

**A/N:** *now, *Lord, look upon him with eyes of mercy, may your healing hand rest upon him, may your lifegiving powers flow into every cell of his body and into the depths of his soul, cleansing, purifying, restoring me to wholeness and strength for service on your Kingdom. Amen.

I know, I'm being mean to Remy. Still, it just fits. Don't shoot (or knife) me!


	5. Chapter 4: Unintended Doubtful Beinifits

_**Chapter 4: Unintended, Doubtful Benefits**_

Three days later, we got what we had been waiting for. When Emma and Scott were running errands outside the school, they came across a group of humans. They had looked normal enough at first, but as soon as they were away from prying eyes, the humans had pulled guns on them. The fight was over almost before it began, leaving only one of the soldiers unhurt.

Emma had pulled the location out his head. Then, before Scott could convince her otherwise, she had killed him.

"It's right by a large valley in the Rockies, dug into the mountain side. There's a runway we should be able to use to find it. Plenty of trees for cover. It's not too big but it's heavily guarded and the inmates are all wearing some kind of device that suppresses their powers."

"Do we know what the device is?" Hank asked. "If it's external, we can break it. It would give us another fighter."

We nodded.

"But if's it's internal, like a chip, we will have to figure out some way to break it without killing the person. If it's a vaccine…"

Scott grimaced, "If it's a vaccine or anything that isn't located in one spot, there won't be anything we can do."

Logan leaned forward in his chair. "What about Rebecca?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know where her office is but she will be at the Base."

I spoke up. "How many captives?"

"There are four blocks. The guard I… talked to… was in charge of block two. I'd say there were about fifty. Two to a cell."

"Around 200!" Hank yelped, "How are we going to get that many mutants out of there?"

"We… really need to work on that."

"No kidding." Logan muttered.

Scott rubbed his temples, "Hank, about how many fit into a full sized plane?"

"Enough. Should I get to work?"

"Yes. We want to get them out as quickly as possible."

**A/N**: sorry it's so short. The next one will be longer. And it will be very interesting.


	6. Chapter 5: Going South

**_Chapter 5: Going South _**

About a month and a bit later. **Warning! Citrusy stuff. Skip to page break if this offends you.**

"Dieu, chere, Ai think Ai'm goin' crazy."

I trailed my lips down his jaw, "It's only been a month."

He slid his hands down to my hips and pushed me against the closed door. "One very long month."

"Not any longer than-" I broke off with a gasp as Remy pressed his lips to the hyper-sensitive spot under my jaw.

"Ya were sayin'."

I slid my hands under his shirt, brushing briefly over the new scar. He let me pull the material over his head.

He pulled me away from the door. "Do ya trust me?"

I nodded.

Remy turned me so I faced away from him and pulled my shirt over my head, letting it fall to the floor. His fingers skimmed down my spine to the top of my jeans, making me shiver.

He brushed his lips across the back of my shoulder. "Close yo eyes."

I did. Remy walked around in front of me and knelt, letting his hands drift down my stomach. My breathing accelerated. He undid the button on my jeans and my heart almost stopped. He slid them down my legs, simultaneously running his mouth up my stomach, stopping just before he reached my bra.

I whimpered.

He stood and lifted me so I could wrap my legs around his waist. "Go ahead an' open yo eyes now."

"Please, Remy, stop teasing me."

He lowered me onto the mattress. "Ya want me to make ya scream? Ai will, ya know. Dieu, chere Ai could…"

I kissed him, sliding my hands over his pectorals to his abdomen. He let me flip us so I sat above him with one knee on either side of his waist. My hands and mouth traveled over his skin. I felt him tense under me.

My hands traveled to his pants. I undid the button and zipper slowly, enjoying the look on Remy's face. I went to touch him and he stopped me.

"Ai cain't let ya do dat."

I pressed my hips against his and he moaned. "And why not?"

"'Cause, damn chere, Ai'm a bit..." He shifted slightly for emphasis.

"Your loss."

Remy chuckled and flipped me onto my back. "Yo gain, chere."

He undid my bra and dropped it on the floor. I knotted my hands in the sheets, trying not to squirm.

His fingers trailed down my breasts before stroking over my nipples. I bit my tongue.

"Don' hold back." he whispered, pinching lightly.

I gasped and arched into his hand. Remy continued to tease me with light, slow strokes until I was gasping for air. Then he closed his mouth around the now raw skin. His tongue moved in tight circles, forcing a groan from me. Finally, he pulled away.

Remy's fingers slipped under the elastic on my underwear, drawing it slowly down my legs. I whimpered. He hooked on of my legs over his shoulder and almost blacked out.

"Remy… I…"

"Do ya want me to stop?"

"No!" I tangled my fingers in his hair and closed my eyes.

At the first touch of his tongue, my entire body went rigid. I felt him smile before dipping his tongue into me. I arched up, groaning. Remy's tongue slid back and forth until I was seeing spots. Then, with no warning, he pulled back, replacing his tongue with nimble fingers. I came, bucked wildly into his hand.

When my vision cleared, I helped Remy out of the last of his clothes and flipped him onto his back. Slowly, I pushed myself down onto him. We both gasped. His hands gripped my hips as I rocked into him. It wasn't long before Remy lost it, slamming up hard before going limp, eyes half shut.

I rolled off him and he draped an arm over my waist.

"Worth… the… wait?" I panted.

He nodded.

~OoOoO~

Half an hour later I looked out the window. It was full dark.

"We missed dinner."

"Oui."

I got out of the bed and pulled on a robe, cinching it tight around my waist. "I'm going down to the kitchen. Be right back."

Remy nodded and stretched. "Want me ta come with ya?"

I shook my head and left, closing the door after me.

I could hear the shouting from the bottom of the stairs. It wasn't that uncommon to hear arguing. We did have Remy, Scott, and Logan in the same house. But it was a completely different thing to hear Jean shrieking at someone like _that_.

Cautiously, I peeked around the doorway.

Jean and a shirtless, rumpled-looking Scott stood on either side of the center island, glaring at each other. Jean held a ladle as if she planned to decapitate someone with it.

"Jean, you're over-reacting. It isn't-"

"Over-reacting! You- you bastard!" with no warning, the struck Scott across the face. "Have fun. I'm leaving. You won't see me again." she stormed past me and up the stairs, presumably going to pack.

I entered the kitchen. "What was _that_ about?"

Scott left, rubbing his face absently.

**A/N**: I told you this chapter would be interesting. J I wonder what Scotty did to make Jean so mad


	7. Intermission: Base 14

**_Intermission:_********_ Base 14_**

Pyro fell to the linoleum, choking. His side burned and his mouth tasted like smoke.

"John, you are being difficult. What I am asking you to do is very simple. Create fire."

He slammed a hand against the wall of glass separating him from the white coats. A second electric shock drove him back to his knees.

"I'm telling you I can't." he snarled.

Dr. Stryker gave him a long look. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you aren't a fool. Create fire or I will get that pretty little girl from the cell, and I will take her apart personally."

"Leave her alone."

"Then I need you to cooperate."

John dragged himself upright and walked to the center of the room. He couldn't create fire. Maybe if he could find a stray spark him could make it look like he had. There was nothing. She was going to die.

That almost made him laugh. They were all going to die, sooner or later.

"John, patience is not one of my virtues."

He squeezed his eyes shut. _C'mon, c'mon, c'mon…_ _please just once._ Nothing happened.

Dr. Stryker pressed a button on the intercom. "Please bring Mutant 66f.7b.2c1 to testing room B."

"No!" yet another shock rippled through his body and he collapsed, unable to breathe.

The outer door opened and a guard marched the girl into the room.

"Pyro?"

Dr. Stryker slapped her across the face. "I do not want to hear you using that name again. Now, _John_, why don't you tell her what I have asked you to do? And what will happen if you do not follow instructions."

He swallowed hard. "I have to create fire. If I don't, she…"

"Proper names, John."

"Then Dr. Stryker will send you to lab C."

Lab C, they called it the ninth circle. It was the one no one ever came back from. The one where they had dragged Maya's friend Snake yesterday. It was the worst the first day they got a new patient. You could hear the screaming at the far end of the hall.

Maya went pale.

"It's going to be alright." He lied.

Dr. Rebecca Stryker resumed her seat behind the desk. "May we begin?"

-  
><strong>AN**: the friend i wrote this for suggested this and... well. it worked. this happens on the same day as the last chapter.


	8. Chapter 6: Ignorance is Bliss

_**Chapter 6: Ignorance is Bliss**_

We all made a point of not mentioning the purple bruise on the side of Scott's face the next day at breakfast.

I pulled my scone apart, setting the chocolate chunks to one side like I always did. Scott took a gulp of orange juice and winced.

"What happened?" Alex asked, then his eyes widened. "Where's Jean?"

Ororo's head snapped up. When she saw Jean's empty seat her eyebrows drew together. "Is she alright, Scott?"

He got up and set his plate in the sink. "I'm going out. Call me if anything important happens."

The door shut behind him.

"Vait, he means ozar zen his _verlobte_* not coming down. Last time she vas sick… and remember ze accident vith Cerebro? Ze one aftar ze Professor's? Somzing is not right." Kurt muttered.

Emma shifted uncomfortably.

…and that was about when it all clicked.

Of course, I had just taken a sip of cranberry juice. I sprayed red droplets across the table cloth, then got up and bolted out of the room.

Ororo went after me. "Caitlyn, what's wrong?"

I dropped my head into my hands. "I think I have few new mental scars… Sorry, ah, well— I can't explain it."

She gave me a concerned look. "Are you sure you're alright?"

I nodded. "I'm just- I'm going to talk to Hank, see how's he's doing on that plane. Didn't he say he'd be done soon?"

"You are a terrible liar." She sighed, "Go ahead and talk to Hank."

I gave her a forced smile and scurried down the stairs to the hangar. After our meeting, Hank had somehow gotten hold of a commercial sized plane and started remodeling it. I still wasn't clear on where he had bought the darn thing.

"Hey, Hank."

Hank was hanging by his feet from one of the wings, tinkering. "Hello Cait, what do you think?"

I shrugged. "I know nothing about planes."

He dropped to the ground and fixed his spectacles. "She's almost done. But there are some safety features I can't add until we see the base. Do you know where Scott is?"

I turned and pretended to bang my head into the wall. "He said he was going out and to call him if anything important happens."

"What about Jean?"

This time I really did bang my head into the wall.

"Caitlyn, what is going on?"

"Jean left. I think- never mind, it's ridiculous. Anyway, Scott should be back soon, you could talk to him then."

Hank nodded and went back to work on the plane.

It was late afternoon when a rain soaked Scott clomped back into the school. He barely responded when Hank asked him about a scouting run. Then he went up to the teachers' wing and stayed there.

~OoOoO~

At about eleven o'clock at night, I got up, and snuck down the hall, careful not to wake Remy up.

When I saw Emma's door open, I ducked behind a potted plant, moving the fronds with a quick thought.

A laughing, half dressed Scott walked into the hall, shirt tucked under one arm. Emma snaked an arm around his neck and kissed him. I looked away.

A moment later, the door clicked shut. I glanced up in time to see Scott walking toward me. I took a half step out from behind the plant. Scott stopped dead.

I raised an eyebrow. "How long?"

"What are-?"

"Don't play idiot. How long have you been with Emma? I'm guessing that was why Jean slapped you."

He glared at me. "This is none of your business. We were over before Emma even showed up. Jean had no right getting angry and-"

"None of my business? Scott, I may not have liked Jean, but that doesn't mean I'm happy that we're missing a fighter."

"So I'm not allowed to do anything that will make my ex unhappy? _She_ ended it!"

"Of course you are, but you really could have handled it better. You know what, I don't care. Do whatever you want, I'm going back to sleep."

~OoOoO~

Hank glanced at the map again, "If this is right, the base should be right over there."

"It's right, I got it from the pilot." Emma muttered.

Out tiny plane rose just above the tops of the Rockies and we our first sight of Base 14. Kurt started prayer in German, Scott swore, I gasped, Ororo turned ashy. Remy just stared mutely.

Base 14 was set deep into the side of one of the mountains with a runway sprawling out in front of it. Watchtowers with cameras were everywhere and heavily armed guards stood at intervals in the yard. We could see the electrified, barbed wire fence from here.

As we watched, the cliff doors opened and a line of prisoners jogged out into the bright sun. One of them stumbled and a foot touched the ground next to the path for half a second. There was a bright flash, and what was left of the mutant dropped to the ground.

It was Emma who voiced what we had all been thinking.

"How are we going to get past that?"

**A/N**: I know it's kind of short… but they saw the base! And how the bloody heck are they going to get past the land mine-things?

Next chapter, my dear readers, next chapter

Also, review!


	9. Chapter 7: Where Help is Needed

_**Chapter 7: Where Help is Needed **_

"'Ro, are you sure you don't want me to go with ya?" Logan asked.

Ororo kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to be fine. Caitlyn's coming with me, and Hank, and Scott."

He frowned. "Why _is_ she going anyway?"

I set my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Right here, metal-for-brains."

"Yeah?" Logan shrugged, "I still don't get it. Why the hell do you have to go? Bringing four people is overkill."

"Hank is going because he is a government figure, Scott is the leader of the X-Men, I'm going because I'm the only one who can stay calm, and Caitlyn is coming because she is the only one Remy told about what happened at Alkali Lake."

Logan started to protest and she held up a hand.

"It was her, or we bring Remy. I don't trust him in a government building. And we can't bring Emma because she was one of Magneto's."

Logan growled. "Why don't I go?"

"You don t remember the lake. Besides, I'm more worried about you than I am about Remy."

Hank craned out of the waiting plane. "Can you hurry up? We are going to be late?"

Ororo and I clambered up the steps and ducked through the door of the fancy, hyper-safe, government plane. I sat down gingerly in one of the seat and straightened my skirt.

Scott sat in the seat across from mine. He looked remarkably uncomfortable. "I hate suits."

"It has to be more comfortable than this." I tugged on my charcoal grey pencil skirt again, "Or those spandex monstrosities."

"I like those!"

"You would."

~OoOoO~

"These people are being held captive for no more reason than that they had one extra gene." Ororo finished.

Scott leaned forward, hands flat on the table. "All we are asking is for backup and transport for these people. Rebecca Stryker has had two-hundred American citizens kidnapped. It is your responsibility to make sure they are freed."

An old man with a wrinkled double chin spoke first. "Young man, we know what our job is. However, I cannot believe that these… people are in any immediate danger."

I spoke up. "Do you know what is happening in there? _Children_ are being experimented on by people looking for different ways to kill them. They are locked in cages like rats and-"

"How do you know any of this?"

"I talked to two people who were trapped at Alkali Lake. Stryker is repeating and expanding on her uncle's work."

"Idle speculation." Double-chin muttered.

I turned to Scott, "Tell them what happened."

"Caitlyn, I wasn't there for that long, it's-"

"See!" double-chin dragged himself upright, "He just said it himself, nothing really happened. Now that the cure is gone, we need a new way to free mutants from their curse. Ms. Stryker might end up providing that."

Scott glared at him, "I was fifteen, they operated on my eyes, which could have blinded me, then threw me in a metal box."

Ororo, Hank, and I froze. Scott rarely ever sounded _that_ angry, not even when talking to Logan.

Ororo broke the silence. "Besides, mutants aren't cursed. If you don't want to help us, just say so."

The man next to double-chin pressed a small, blue button. "Please escort out visitors back to their plane."

~OoOoO~

"I can't believe them!" Alex yelled, storming out of the living room. He slammed the door so hard behind him that it swung open again.

I dropped onto the couch, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "So now what are we going to do? It's not like we can get everyone out of there by ourselves."

Emma looked up. "I'm not sure this will work, since you were the people who got rid of Magneto, but we could always go to Mystique and the rest of the Brotherhood." Scott shook his head. "She'd never help us. It's not as if she lost anyone irreplaceable."

"What about Wade?" Emma asked, "It seems like he would like to get back at Stryker and his family, even if it's only his niece."

"Hell non!" Remy yelled, "Ai am naut gon' work with dat rotten piece o' merde af'tah what he did."

"Can you think of anyone better? Deadpool is one of the best fighters out there." Emma retorted.

"I thought he was dead." Logan spoke up.

Emma shook her head. "He has your healing factor, remember? The DNA work Stryker did unraveled so he's pretty much back to normal. He still has the healing factor and the adamantium, though."

"No I don't remember."

Scott shrugged. "We need more fighters. We need Deadpool and anyone else we can get."

"What about Domino? She can fight, and she has a good reason to hate Stryker."

"Contact them. Tell them we can pay."

We only had to wait an hour before the front bell chimed. Emma answered the door and admitted the two mercenaries.

"Logan! I'm shocked. Really, and- hold on. Gambit. Ahh… this is... a rather interesting turn of events. Well, let by gones be by gones, I always say."

Remy glared at the talkative mercenary.

"I guess not." He looked at me. "Wade Wilson, mercenary, bodyguard, just about anything for those who can pay. You are…?"

"Caitlyn. Someone who appreciates it when people know when to keep their traps shut."

"You've been spending time with Logan, haven't you? Hey, Neena, come on over here and meet the nice people."

The other mercenary, a dark haired girl with a rather large gun strapped to her back, stepped away from the doorframe.

I held out my hand. "Thank you for agreeing to help us."

Neena shrugged one shoulder. "Wade's idea, not that I'm complaining. And, if we're fighting, it's Domino."

"Thorn."

"Why is she being all friendly now? What did I do to her anyway?" Wade muttered.

"Shut it, _homme_, she knows what happened at da Lake. Ai told her. An' Ai mean ev'rythang."

"Ouch."

"We're paying you to fight, Wade, not talk." Logan snarled.

Wade ran his fingers along the grip of one of the two swords hanging on his back. "Then let's get going."


	10. Chapter 8: Acid

_**Chapter 8: Acid**_

There were fifteen of us in the front of the re-rigged commercial plane; Ice man, Wolverine, Gambit, Jubilee, Storm, me. Shadowcat, Colossus, Havok, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Angel, Deadpool, and Domino. Fifteen of us against who knew how many heavily armed guards.

"Everyone knows what they're supposed to do?"

We all nodded.

"Stryker's mine." Remy, Logan, and Wade said at the exact same time.

"We'll decide that when it's time." Cyclops ordered.

The plane stopped just out of sight of the base. Hank stayed on to keep it in the air while the rest of us slid down on nylon ropes. The fourteen of us snuck up over the ridge and flattened ourselves to the ground. I checked the anklet Beast had given me.

Nightcrawler disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. A moment later, we saw a guard fall. The others started shouting and running around, carefully staying on the path. Blue flashed again and shots went off.

"Shadowcat, now."

She got up and sprinted down the hill, phasing underneath the fence. The ground shifted as the first few land mines went off.

"Remy, take care of the fence."

Remy charged a card then hurled it at the electrified fence. The card exploded, blowing an enormous hole in the links. At the same time, the last of the land mines went off, throwing the guards into the air.

Shadowcat pushed the doors open. We charged. Guns went off on either side. Emma turned to her diamond form.

We ran into the base with the soldiers right behind us.

"Deadpool."

"On it." He launched himself at the soldiers.

Logan unsheathed his claws and took off down the sterile, white corridor. When he got to the first door he slashed through the lock. Sirens started wailing. The sound of opening doors echoed down the hall.

"Quick, inside."

We ducked through the now open door. Cages lined the walls. Each one held a mutant wearing an iron cuff. Gambit set a hand on a door. Magenta energy flowed down the line of cages.

"Ai'd stand back if Ai were you."

The doors blew off their hinges and clattered to the ground.

"Who here can fight?" Storm yelled. "It doesn't matter if it's fancy. Who here has a power they can use to fight and isn't badly hurt?"

A few stepped forward.

"Wolverine, get the cuffs off them first. Gambit, get the others." Cyclops ordered.

Many of the mutants changed visibly when the cuffs fell off, sprouting spines, talons, or sharp teeth.

One with flat white eyes spoke up. "The powerful ones, the fighters, are in the next block. I can take you to them."

"What's your name?" Storm asked.

"Norn, I can see energy." She responded.

"Warn us if guards get too close."

"It's through here." She said, pointing to a door at the end of the hall.

Cyclops pushed it open, one hand on his visor. The cages in this corridor were different; larger and make from think, foggy glass. Each one had a separate key pad set into the door.

Gambit charged the lock and the door swung open.

"John." Shadowcat gasped.

He looked sick and the patches of skin that weren't covered in bruised or bandages were ashy.

"Get me out of here and get this cuff the hell off me." He growled.

Remy set one hand on the cuff and it shattered then pressed a lighter into his hand. "Ai brought dis for ya."

John grinned and flicked it open.

Norn gasped. "Guards are right around the corner, lots of them. We have to hurry."

Pyro got up. "I'll take care of them."

The guards came barreling around the corner and collided with a wall of bright red flames.

"Shadowcat, Wolverine, stay here and get the rest out. We'll start on the other blocks."

The corridor went in three directions at the end of the row of cages.

"Split up."

Gambit, Jubilee, and I ran down one of the branches. There were no cages here. Just metal and glass doors spaced far apart. The hall reeked of bleach and blood and other fluids that were meant to stay inside a person's body.

Jubilee shot a firecracker into the control panel on one of the doors and it swung open. I doubled over, dry heaving.

This had to be the morgue. The bodies hadn't been covered. Almost all of them had been dissected. Bloody scalpels, probably discarded when the alarm went off, lay next to some of the bodies. Then one of the bodies moved.

"Oh God and Goddess…" I gasped.

The man turned his head toward us, white hair falling in his eye. He had cuts all down his body. Two spikes jutted from his chest.

"Why isn't he dead? He should be dead? Why… who could… oh God… he… no, no, no…" Jubilee slid down the wall, curling in on herself.

I forced myself to walk over to him. My mouth tasted like bile, and my head was swimming. Something caught on my foot and I tripped, putting my hand down on a table to steady myself. When I steadied myself, my palm was covered in blood.

"Janos? Riptide? Can you hear me?"

He swallowed and nodded ever so slightly. "K… Ki… kill me."

I reached over and pulled one of the spikes out of his chest. "Is there anyone you want to say goodbye to?"

"A… Azazel? And Emma."

"Alright. You'll see Azazel soon." I raised the spike and drove it deep into his heart.

Remy looped an arm around my shoulders, leading me into the hall.

Jubilee opened the next door, still shaking. It was an office, paneled in dark wood with a ornately carved desk. A white cross hung on the back wall.

"Make one move and he dies."

I froze. "Rebecca."

"That's right, turn around slowly and hold your hands up where I can see them." She instructed.

Rebecca was standing behind Remy with a wooden dark pressed hard against the back of his neck. Blood trickled down his skin.

Something in my mind clicked. Janos's blood, John's, Norn's, Remy's. She was responsible for all of it.

"Ashes to ashes." I muttered. "Dust to dust."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

I smiled. "The earth wants you back, Rebecca Stryker."

Wood snapped and strained, sprouting thick, thorny vines. They wound tight around her arms and legs. Blood stained her white lab coat. The vines slammed her into the wall and continued to grow, winding around her neck and waist.

"Hope the vines kill you before the others do. The earth is kinder."

I walked out of the study.


	11. Chapter 9: Healing

_**Chapter 9. Healing**_

In the end, the casualties were lower than we could have hoped for. Among the dead were Janos, Norn, and five others I had not talked to. Almost everyone was hurt. Most would eventually heal. Some of the prisoners had lost fingers, eyes; one had lost an arm to the elbow. The casualties were low, but too many had been hurt.

One of Warren's wings had been shattered. Kurt had nearly lost the end of his tail. Kitty and Scott both had been burned. Ororo had broken three off the small bones in her wrist. Alex been shot in the leg. Bobby had a minor concussion. I only had minor physical injuries but my heart beat was irregular and I was exhausted for a long time.

The only ones who were completely unhurt were Wolverine, Wade, Emma, and Peter Rasputin. Emma was still grieving for Janos.

John and a girl who called herself Firebrand had found Rebecca half smothered in vines. The girl had burned her alive. Neither of them had been seen or heard of.

The government completely ignored our reports of the injured survivors. But they couldn't stop them from telling their stories. People in cities around the globe were protesting. Humans and Mutants. Together.

And the Professor had woken up from his coma. He was alive and lucid. Telling him about everything he had missed had taken several days. Even before he knew the whole story, he had told each survivor that they were welcome to stay. Many had left, many had stayed.

~OoOoO~

Three weeks later, Remy and I were having dinner on the roof of the school. He had brought candles and coral colored roses.

I sat next to him on the blanket and leaned against his shoulder.

"Caitlyn…?"

"Yes?"

"Ai…" he broke off, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously, "Well…"

I faced him. "Remy, if you want to tell me something, just tell me. There's no reason to be embarrassed."

Remy shrugged. "Strawberry?"

I bit into the sweet, red fruit, chewed, then swallowed. "Remy, please, will you tell me?"

He blushed. Actually _blushed_!

"What did you do?"

"Nothan' chere." He dug into a pocket. "Ai jus' don' know how ta…" he took a deep breath and pulled something out of his pocket.

"How to what?" my heart beat had accelerated.

"Caitlyn. Ai love you. An'… Ai… would ya…" he pressed a small velvet box into my hand. "marry me?"

I opened the box. Inside was a braded white gold band set with a deep blue sapphire.

I kissed him.

"Is dat a yes?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Remy took my left hand, sliding the ring onto the third finger of my left hand.

"So…" I swallowed, suddenly very close to tears. "When do you want to tell the others?"

He kissed me again. "Ai think dey can wait fo' a little while."

**A/N**: It's over! Please tell me what you thought. This is almost certainly the last one in this series. So… any comments on what I should do better will be used to improve future projects. Thank you so much for reading this.

-Firedance28


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